


Furies

by TheWhiteLily



Series: Watson's Woes July Writing Prompts 2017 [17]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen, Hints of a case, Which won't be examined in detail
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 19:58:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11607882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWhiteLily/pseuds/TheWhiteLily
Summary: A woman comes to Baker Street for help finding her vanished fiance.





	Furies

**Author's Note:**

> JWP #24: Music Hall. There's a list of music hall songs [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_hall_songs) on Wikipedia. Refer to one in your fic. (I chose "[Waiting at the Church](http://www.lyrics.com/lyric/5291551)")

“Ugh,” Sherlock slumped in his chair. “Boring. Do you _really_ need me to explain why your so-called fiance didn’t turn up at the wedding? After you’d financed practically every date you had and then added him as a secondary account holder _before_ the wedding! You won't believe me, anyway. How _stupid_ is it possible for one person to be?”

“Tact, Sherlock!” hissed John. “Sorry,” he directed at the woman in the sharp red tailored suit, and made a helpless gesture. “He means….”

Meredith Willis sent a skeptical glance at John, halting the apology in its tracks.

“On the contrary,” she said, shaping the words with carefully painted lips. “There's no need to explain. I’m _quite_ aware of why he didn’t turn up. And of my own folly, in ignoring the warning flags my friends tried to point out to me. As I told you, I _was_ worried about him. Until I received… this.” She produced a sharply creased note from her handbag and held it out. “Cheeky bastard.”

Sherlock unfolded it and looked at it for a moment before his eyebrows raised, and he looked back at her.

John took the note, read it, and whistled.

_Sorry, love, can’t make it today. My wife says enough’s enough.  -Obadiah Binks_

“What is it you expect from me?” Sherlock asked slowly. “Surely a night out on the town with your girlfriends, drowning your sorrows and celebrating your good fortune at escaping _actually_ marrying him seems more in order than the employment of a private detective.”

“I’ve _been_ out drowning my sorrows with my girlfriends,” she said, primly straightening her skirt over her knees before clasping her hands again in her lap. “One of them’s a barrister. Another is Sally Donovan, of Scotland Yard, who—despite various warnings regarding your character and manners—advised me to bring the letter to _you_.”

Sherlock narrowed his eyes, apparently intrigued despite himself.

“Obadiah—or whatever his name really is—can be charged with falsifying legal documents and for fraud, given it was clearly a confidence scheme aimed at the theft of my life savings. If we act fast, I’ll likely be able to reclaim the money he withdrew, because he actually _did_ sign the documents attesting to his intentions with the access, even if it was under a false name. And of course, considered in the context, the letter is a confession. If necessary, we’ll follow it up with a civil suit.”

“Sounds like you have everything under control then,” said Sherlock, but he obviously saw where this was headed.

“All we need _now_ ,” she clarified, “is to find out _who he actually is_ so that the police have a name and address for the arrest warrant.” Meredith leant forward challengingly, holding Sherlock's gaze. “Sally claimed you were the best.”

Sherlock smiled in a way that didn’t change the shape of his mouth, but was nonetheless distinct, and extended his hand again for the letter.

John handed it back, watching as Sherlock's eyes flicked over it and his fingers caressed the texture of the paper. He tilted it to examine the reflection of the light on the ink, lifted it to his nose and inhaled, and then looked up at her sharply.

“Did you happen to keep the envelope?” he asked.

Meredith smiled like a knife.

“As a matter of fact,” she said, “I did.”


End file.
